Combined washbench and ironing-board.



No. 64l,66|. Pa tented Jan. l6, I900. A. C. WAKEMAN.

COMBINED WASHBENCH AND IRONING BOARD.

(Application filed Mar. 24, 1899.) (No Model.)

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Inventor.

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I UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

ALVIN o. WAKEMAN, OF wArEaLoo, WISCONSIN;

COMBINED WASHBENCH AND lRONlNG-BOARl'i.

SPEGIFIOACEION forming part of Letters mm in. 641,661, dated. ma 16, 1906.

Application filed March 24, 1899.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVIN C. WAKEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wa terloo, in the county of Jefferson and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Combined Washbench and Ironing-Board, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in combined washbenches and ironing-boards.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of general utility for washing and ironing purposes and which will greatly reduce the labor involved in the performance of such duties, regard being had for simplicity of construction and convenience in manipulation and storage.

In the following description reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation with the ironing-board in position for use and with dotted lines indicating the manner in which the tub is tilted when it is desired to empty the same. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bench. Fig. 3 is a side view in section of the bench as it appears when folded. Fig. 4. is a cross-section View drawn on line Y Y of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail showing the supports of the brace-rods. Fig. 6 is an edge view of the same. 0

Like parts are identified by the same reference-letters throughout the several views.

The body of my bench consists in a flat-bottomed trough A, divided by a partition B into compartments 0 and D. The compartment 0 is water-tight, being preferably lined with tin or zinc and provided with a drain-aperture which may be closed by a stopper 0. The compartment 0 is crossed transversely by a bar B, over which the tub may be tilted, as hereinafter explained. The compartment D need not be water-tight, and, if desired, the bottom may be formed. of slats or any other similar material.

E is a support hinged at e to the end wall E of the compartment D and adapted to prevent the tub from tipping in that direction, as hereinafter explained.

One end of the body A is provided with an extension F, hinged thereto at f f and adapted when in the horizontal position to support a clothes-basket, tub, or other similar article.

Serla1llo.710,302. (No model.)

This extension is adapted to fold over upon the body, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

When the extension is in a horizontal posli: tion, its upper surface is in substantially the same plane as that of the upper side edges of the body A along the compartment D, while the sides of the compartment 0 from the bar B to the end of the body are raised to prevent the water from splashing out of the compartment when the contents of the tub are emptied into it. The bar B is also raised a little above the plane of the side edges of the compartment D, so as to support the tub in a convenient position for tilting, as indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2.

The body is supported upon folding legs G, braced by rods H, which are hinged at or near the center of the body and provided with notches 71, adapted to engage the lower crossrungs g of the legs, as best illustrated in Fig. 1. To prevent the brace-rods from wabbling, and thus hold the entire structure in a stable position, I have provided a pair of curved guide-bars I, which are secured at I to the under side of the body and serve as guides for the brace-rods H.

At the opposite end of the body from the extension F, I have provided a removable frame K, having at its lower end pins L, adapted to engage in staples L, projecting from the body, as best shown in Fig. 1. An additional support for the frame K is furnished by hooks M. An ironing-board N is provided with a pair of cleats n n on its under side near each end, between which the cross-rungs at the free ends of the frame K and extension-piece F are adapted to be engaged, the extension piece F being raised to a vertical position, asshown in Fig. 1.

When the device is used as a washbench, the tub is supported on the sides of the body A and the support E and projects partially over the compartment 0, between the bar B and the partition B. A clothes-basket, tub, or washboiler may be placed upon the extension F, and it will be understood that a wringer The tub may therefore be easily tilted in this direction until its side bears upon the crosspiece B, which supports the tub in its tilted position until a large portion of the Water is discharged, when the tub may easily be additionally tilted over the bar to discharge the remaining water. The object of the bar Bis to prevent the tub from tipping too quickly when its center of gravity passes the line of support on the sides of the body A, for the movement of the Water as the tub is tilted renders the latter very unstable and difiicult to hold withouta stop or hearing, such as the bar B, against which the tub may be temporarily brought to rest.

The compartment D may be used as a clothes-drainer or for sprinkling clothes or other similar purposes.-

lVhen used for'ironing, the extension F is turned to a vertical position and the frame K attached to the body, as shown in Fig. 1, the ironing-board being then placed in position, with the cleats n engaging the cross-rungs 7o andf of the frame and extension-piece, respectively. This construction will be found very convenient for the purpose, inasmuch as the end of the ironing-board, supported by the frame K,may be readily raised at any time to permit shirts or similar articles of wearingapparel to be slipped onto the end of the board,after which the board maybe rengaged by the frame until the process of ironing such article is completed.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A washbench provided with a troughshaped bodyadapted to receive a tub upon the sides thereof, and having a water-receiving compartment crossed by a transverse bar in a higher plane than the tub, supporting side edges, and adapted to furnish a bearing for the tub when tilted upon the supporting side edges of the body, substantially as described.

2. A washbench, provided with a troughshaped body and adapted to receive a tub upon the sides thereof; adjustable foldinglegs secured to said body; notched brace-rods for holding said legs in various positions of adjnstment; and an extension-piece hinged to one end of the body and adapted to be folded over upon the body, said body being divided into compartments, one of which is crossed by a transverse bar arranged to furnish a bearing for the side of the tub when partially tilted upon the side edges of the body, substantially as described.

3. A washbench provided with a troughshaped body, divided into compartments by a transverse partition; a folding tub-support located in one of said compartments; and a transverse bar crossing the other of said compartments, over which the tub is adapted to be tilted, substantially as described.

4. A washbench provided with a troughshaped body, divided into compartments by a transverse partition; a tub-support located in one of said compartments; a transverse bar crossing the other of said compartments,ovcr which the tub is adapted to be tilted; and an extension-piece hinged to one end ofsaid body and adapted to receive a clothes-basket or similar article, substantially as described.

5. A Washbench comprising a body; folding legs hinged thereto; brace-bars pivotally secured to the body near the center thereof and provided with notches adapted to engage the cross-rungs of said legs; curved guide-bars secured to the body near its center, and adapted to provide a lateral support for the brace-bars; a removable frame adapted to be secured to said bodyin a vertical position at one end; and a hinged extension adapted to be raised to a vertical position at the other end; together with an ironing-board; and means for attaching the same to said frame and said extension, substantially for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALVIN C. XVAKICMAN.

\Vitnesses:

M. A. WILLIAMS, ll. IT. PORTER. 

